Come Home
by mbenson
Summary: A thrilling story of two ex-partners who finally see each other for the first time in three years. Will they do anything about the feelings that are reignited? Filled with tears, laughs, drama, crime, & love. And to think it started with a phone call.
1. Chapter 1: Let Her Go

**Author's Note: Slightly AU: Nothing happened with Lewis.**

**DISCLAIMER:**

**Dick Wolf owns these wonderful characters in which I love so much.**

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CHAPTER ONE Let Her Go

The door opens to the office with Olivia's push. She steps inside and takes in her surroundings. She sighs at the sight while closing the door behind her. Her coat isn't supposed to be on the coat rack, but it is. Her paperwork and files shouldn't be on the desk, but they are. She shouldn't be placing her keys on the desk, but she is. The coat hanger shouldn't be hers. The paperwork shouldn't be hers. The desk shouldn't be hers. _The office shouldn't be hers. _Everything should belong to her captain, Don Cragen. Instead it's hers-all of it. What isn't hers, is Captain Cragen, and she still hasn't become accustomed to that.

She takes a seat in the chair once belonging to Cragen and attempts to concentrate on the paperwork she knows needs to be completed. But as usual for the past few weeks, her focus deteriorates again. The words she stares at become foreign and incomprehensible. Her attention just hasn't been all there lately. For heaven's sake, she nearly killed herself by walking in front of taxi because she wasn't paying attention. It's as if she is living in her own separate world. Being unfocused is what will get others or herself killed during this job. She knows she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she caused someone's death simply because her mind was wandering. She covers her face with her hands and rubs her temples.

Normally, Olivia isn't the type to open up to anyone about what is going on in her mind, but she needs someone to talk to. And she has only one person left who would understand. She stands from the desk and begins to walk towards the door to open it as Detective Fin knocks on it. She nods in approval for him to come in.

"I was just going to call for you," she tells him once the door is shut again. She leans against the edge of the desk as he takes a seat in one of the chairs before her.

"Is everything okay?" he asks. She breaks eye contact and looks to the floor to try and gain enough composure to say yes. She opens her mouth as she looks up, but apparently 'yes' didn't come out because Fin asks with a worried look on his face, "Why? What's wrong, Liv?"

She shakes her head in disbelief that she's about to speak her mind, even to someone she trusts this much. "Everyone's gone," is all she manages.

"What do you mean?" he questions.

"Captain. Munch," she pauses, then whispers, "Elliot…" Her voice comes back to her, so she can finish explaining. "Everyone is gone. You and I are the only ones left. Am I next? Is the sign that it's time for me to leave?"

"I know, Liv. All of them leaving has been hard on me too. It's like I'm losing my family," he admits to her.

"Me too, Fin. Cragen was like a father to me. We were all like some dysfunctional family, and I… I don't know what I'm still doing here without my family." She inhales deeply to hold in the tears.

Fin stands from the chair and leans against the desk next to Olivia and places his hand on her shoulder. "I'm not planning on leaving anytime soon. Even without everyone else, I can't imagine leaving this job. But if I stay, I can't bear to lose you either. You're what holds this place together. You're our rock. Just keep holding on. You can always come to me if you need anything."

Olivia forces a smile. "Thanks, Fin." She pulls him into a quick hug.

"Anytime, Liv," he answers as he heads toward the door. He grabs the handle but before opening it, turns back to face Olivia. "You know, even the strongest are allowed to be weak sometimes, Olivia. You don't have to force yourself to go through everything alone. You may not have your dysfunctional family out there, but you've got your friends," he points out the window towards Nick Amaro and Amanda Rollins, "and they'd do anything for you."

She smiles again, without too much force this time, knowing Fin is right. She nods, and once again, she's left alone in her ex-captain's office.

Once the paperwork is finally completed, Olivia checks her phone which reads 9:34pm. She didn't realize she could spend hours on paperwork without feeling like she was ready to explode. She gathers up all the papers and orders them back in the files, then locks them away in the drawers of the file cabinet. A soft knock sounds on the door and Fin reenters. "You're still here? I didn't realize it had gotten so late. You could've left a long time ago." she tells him.

"It's okay. I had some of my own paperwork to finish from the last case. Everyone else is gone though. You should go home, Liv. You look exhausted," he responds with concern at the black circles forming around her eyes.

"Yeah. I'm getting ready to leave," she answers.

"How are you holding up?" he asks her.

"I'm fine. It's still pretty difficult being in this office without the reason being Cragen called me in," she admits. She zones out as Fin says something about missing him too.

"Maybe I should call him," she says once her mind returns to the present.

"Yeah, Liv. That's a good idea. But why don't you wait until tomorrow? It's getting late."

"It's not too late. I know he's still awake," she disagrees.

"It's going on ten. I'm sure he's catching up on all the sleep he missed because of this job. Let's just wait until morning, okay?" Fin tries to convince her as he ushers her out of the office and the precinct. She still hasn't agreed about waiting to call Cragen until morning by the time a taxi arrived for her. Fin is ready to make it a habit of waiting to leave until Olivia does, seeing how distracted she's been lately. Olivia opens the back door of the taxi, and breaks the silence. "Fin," she turns to look at him. "I'm not talking about Cragen," she finally says, then shuts the door before he has the time to ask her who she's talking about.

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**Thank you so much for reading the first chapter of my very first fanfic. Reviews mean a lot, positive or negative! I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!**


	2. Chapter 2: Come Home

**Author's Note: **

**All my chapters are fairly short, but thank you for reading! Means a lot! **

CHAPTER TWO Come Home

Olivia arrives home within a few minutes. She hands the driver some bills, and departs from the taxi as he's saying, "Have a good night."

Once Olivia is inside her apartment, the first thing she does is open a new bottle of wine and pour herself a glass. She leans up against the counter, resting her elbows on top. The time on her cellphone now reads 10:11pm. Of course he's still awake.

She unlocks her phone and taps on the contacts app. How does she know he still has the same number? She doesn't, but she decides to risk it anyway. Will he answer? What will he say? What will _she _say? _Oh my god, what _will _she say? _Her mind is spinning with questions. She clicks the button on the top her phone, making the screen go black, and sets it on the counter next to her. She takes a huge gulp of her wine. Her eyes fixate straight ahead at the refrigerator as she tries to compose herself, but the fingers on her empty hand won't stop drumming themselves on the counter out of nervousness. She finishes off her wine and sets the glass back down.

Again, she unlocks her phone, the contacts still open. She closes her eyes, takes a huge breath, exhales, and reopens her eyes. She stares down at her phone and taps on the name. She has the number memorized but wouldn't dial it for the risk of messing it up with her violently-shaking fingers. She inhales deeply once more, not letting it out until she feels her lungs tighten. Her whole hand quivers as her thumb hovers over the screen. Finally, she decides to just do it. Her thumb falls down and lands on _Call Elliot Stabler_.

Elliot is just sitting back down on the couch with a fresh beer to finish watching the football game as his cell phone rings. He looks down to the coffee table to see whose name is lighting up his phone. When he reads the name and sees the picture, the beer bottle nearly slips from his hand. _Olivia Benson._ He sets the beer down next his phone and rubs his eyes to make sure he is seeing this correctly. After two rings, the name and picture are the same.

To answer or to not answer. He doesn't know what to say-he's so shocked. After three years, this is the first attempt of communication for either of them. He knows he should have called a long time, years, ago to explain to her, but he didn't have the goddamn balls to do it. The third ring. She won't leave a message if he doesn't answer. _He has to answer._ But he can't. He has no idea what to say to her. Does he say hello? Is it even appropriate to say hello the way you would to an unknown stranger? But they are strangers now, aren't they? And that's his own damn fault. He picks up his beer and takes a large swig of it.

If three years have gone by, and they have never talked… The fourth ring… Oh god, is she okay? Is she hurt? Elliot quickly reaches to grab his phone and answer. _Missed call. _"Dammit!" he shouts and slams his beer down onto the coffee table.

_I'm sorry, you've reached the voicemail of _Elliot Stabler_. Please leave a message after the tone. Beep. _Olivia takes the phone away from her ear, knowing she made a mistake of calling him. Maybe he even deleted her number. After three years, she's sure her ex-partner wants nothing to do with her. That's why he left without saying goodbye.

As she's about to press _end_, she brings the phone back up to her face, surprising herself.

"Um, hi. It's m-... uh, it's Olivia. Yeah... Olivia Benson… Elliot," she inhales sharply, finishing her sentence with a cracking voice, "come home." _End. _She throws her phone across the room and sinks to the floor, tears streaming down her face.

As Elliot was about to chuck the now-empty beer bottle to shatter it against the wall, his phone lights up again. _1 New Voicemail._ All the anger floods away in one swift motion as he feels a tiny sliver of hope. _She did leave a message. _He clicks _Listen _when he retrieves his phone and presses it against his ear.

He can't believe after three years of never hearing Olivia's voice, he finally is now. He could never forget her voice, but this doesn't sound like her. She sounds...weak, tired. He's so wrapped up in hearing her, that he never listened to the words she spoke. He pulls the phone away from his ear and taps the play button once more. This time he pays attention to what she's saying.

_Come home._

_Come home._

Those two simple words echo through his mind. Elliot never expected to hear those words. Olivia wants him to come home. What even is _home_? His old apartment? His job?

Is _home _with her? The woman he spent twelve years with, his partner, his best friend...his love? Were their friends right?

They'd been through everything together. Every day they risked their lives, side-by-side. They'd protected and saved each other multiple times. He watched as a knife slit her throat, knocking her down. He remembers the fear he felt when her head hit the ground. It was that day he realized he would choose her over anyone else.

She was always there for him, even when he didn't deserve it. She stuck by his side through all the screaming and arguments they shared. And without saying anything, they could hold conversations from across a room. They had a special connection no one else could understand, not even Elliot himself. Next to her is where he belonged, yet he abandoned her. He left her.

He left his home.

And she's right.

He needs to come home.


	3. Chapter 3: I'm Coming Home

**Thanks for the support!**

CHAPTER THREE I'm Coming Home

Olivia counts the seconds as she stares at the digital clock beside her bed. The glowing green light is blinding to her bloodshot eyes. _Sixty. _The numbers change to 11:29pm. She begins again at _one, two, three… _Her eyes squeeze shut to relieve the burning sensation, but the pain doesn't lessen. _Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen… _This time she rubs her eyes, wiping away any last bit of moisture from the tears her eyes wouldn't stop producing earlier. She turns onto her back and stares at the ceiling, still counting. _Thirty-nine, forty, forty-one… _She watches as shapes form before her eyes while she stares at the blank ceiling. The sound of the furnace turning on makes her startle slightly. _Fifty-seven, fifty-eight, fifty-nine… _Her head whips to the side to see the numbers change to 11:30pm when she reaches sixty. Perfect timing.

She doesn't begin recounting but continues focusing on the ceiling above her. Outside the window, she hears a dog bark in the distance and flinches. Why she's so jumpy tonight, she hasn't a clue. 11:32pm, the clock screams.

An eerie feeling creeps inside her, and her stomach churns. She reaches over to flick on her lamp, then sits up in bed and examines her room. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she buries her head into her hands and rubs her eyes, her cheeks, her temples, trailing her hands to the back of her head where she grips two fist-fulls of hair. With a large inhale, she releases her hair, letting it fall back onto her shoulders.

_In. Out. In. Out. _She focuses on breathing deeply. In through her nose and out her mouth. When she feels calm enough, she turns off her lamp and settles back down under the covers.

11:38pm.

Her eyes shoot open at the sound of a car door slamming outside her window. Again, she turns her lamp on. This time she gets out of bed to peer outside her window. The figure who caused the noise is already out of sight.

She sits back down on her bed but nearly screams when someone knocks on her apartment door. "Dammit," she mumbles. _It's nearly midnight. _

She grabs her gun out of instinct and precaution as she tip-toes to the door. She squints and peeks through the peep-hole, not believing what she sees. She sets her gun back on the counter and returns to the door. She takes a hold of the handle with a shaking hand, her heart racing, her breathing ragged. She twists it, but it doesn't open. She rolls her eyes at herself and unlocks the door. And again, she turns the handle and pulls.

Standing before her is Elliot Stabler.

"Dear God," she whispers, barely loud enough for her own self to hear. She swallows hard. "Elliot."

"Liv." He can hardly speak either. He doesn't say anything else. He's never felt so tongue-tied, so brain-dead. It's nearly midnight, and he's looking at Olivia Benson for the first time in three years.

Olivia doesn't say anything more either. She just stares at her ex-partner standing 3 feet away from her. She reaches her trembling hand out in front of her, and grazes her fingertips along his arm to make sure he's actually there. A breath catches in her throat as she chokes back tears. She steps closer to him and collapses into his arms, sobbing. He holds her and lets her cry, saying nothing.

"You left me," she mumbles, as the tears pour out onto his shirt, soaking through to his chest.

"I know," Elliot responds, feeling nothing more than guilt for hurting her so badly.

Olivia pulls away from him and backs up a couple steps. "You left me," she repeats with a stronger voice as she stares into his eyes. Her hands ball into fists as anger surges through her. Elliot opens his mouth to respond again, but she doesn't give him the chance. "Goddammit, Elliot!" she shouts, shoving him backwards and out of the doorway. "You left me, you bastard!" she yells and storms away from him. She sinks onto the couch and sobs into her hands. She's never let out this much emotion in front of anyone, not even to the man who was her best friend and her longest relationship-the man who was supposed to be her partner for life.

Elliot watches her, not surprised of her reaction, for he was expecting an outburst. He deserves to be screamed at. He deserves to be shoved, even smacked. For Christ's sake, he wouldn't protest if she pointed her gun at him. He deserves it.

Surprisingly enough, she didn't slam the door in his face, which he deserved too. He finally makes his legs work and follows her inside, softly closing the door behind him. He walks up to Olivia, who's still hiding behind her hands, bawling.

Not sure of how to comfort her, he crouches down in front of her. With hesitation, he carefully takes a hold of her wrists to pull her hands away from her face saying, "Liv."

"Don't touch me," she snarls, yanking her wrists out of his grip and turning her head to the side in prevention of having to look at him.

"Please, Liv," he begs, "please. Just let me explain." He rubs his forehead with one hand.

"Explain?" she nearly laughs in disbelief as she slowly turns her head back to face him. "What's there to explain?" More tears form in her eyes and pool over. With a strained voice, "Elliot, you didn't even tell me goodbye."

Elliot wishes he could beat himself up. He had never imagined she would be in this much agony. He sits by her side on the couch while saying, "I know, Liv. I know I didn't tell you goodbye." His voice breaks, "I couldn't."

"Why?" she questions, glaring.

"Do you think I could have possibly told you _goodbye_? I needed to get out, but there would have been no way if I talked to you first. I couldn't tell you goodbye, Olivia. I couldn't tell you goodbye and walk away from you." He stares deeply into her eyes, never looking away. "I thought it would have been easier this way, for the both of us."

Olivia looks down to her fidgety hands in her lap. "I cried for months," she whispers, "I thought it was something I did. I thought I made you hate me."

"Olivia Benson, look at me," he commands to which she obeys. "I could never hate you," he says sternly, then with a softer tone, "now let me ask you something, if I told you I was leaving, would you have let me go?"

Another tear falls, and she looks back down to her hands. Elliot lifts her chin with his index finger, forcing her to look at him.

"Would you have let me go?" he repeats.

She bites her lip, hesitating.

"No."

**Will be posting chapter four either today or tomorrow. Thank you! xx**


	4. Chapter 4: Please Don't Leave Me

**Finished this sooner than I expected (:**

CHAPTER FOUR Please Don't Leave Me

Elliot wipes away any final traces of tears from Olivia's face. Her lips twitch as she stifles a smile.

"Liv, I don't expect you to forgive me, but can you at least understand now?" he asks her once all the tears have vanished at his touch.

"You still haven't told me the reason you left," she answers, disregarding his question.

"You didn't answer my question," he informs her.

She inhales deeply, "El."

Elliot nods and closes his eyes, forcing his mind to go back to his final day as Detective Stabler. "Liv, I shot that girl. I killed her. She was still just a kid." He shakes his head as he mentally beats himself up.

"You were protecting everyone from her. She wasn't stable. She could've killed-"

Elliot interrupts. "I wasn't protecting everyone."

"What?"

"I was protecting you. I was only thinking about your safety," he admits.

"El…" She looks away.

"I'm serious, Olivia." He focuses his attention back on her, but she doesn't return the favor. "I was only concerned for you. I was putting you above everything. And I wasn't being a good detective, a good husband, or a good father because of that."

"You were a good partner," she says then whispers, "for better and for worse... I never expected to lose you."

"You didn't lose me. I just wasn't by your side, like I should've been. I'm sorry," he pulls her into his arms, and she lays her head on his shoulder.

"Would you have come back," she asks, "if I didn't call you?"

He sighs, "No. I figured you moved on from me, until I got that call from you. I thought about you every single day, Liv."

"Twelve years, El," she lifts her head off his shoulder and looks into his eyes, "you expected me to just move on after twelve years?"

He brushes the hair out of her eyes, tucking it behind her ear. "Yeah… yeah, I guess I did."

She smiles, "You bastard."

He hugs her tighter, "I know. That still hasn't changed."

"I've noticed," she smirks and pulls away from his grip. She sees her phone hiding under the coffee table, untouched from when she threw it across the room earlier that night. She reaches down and turns it on to check the time. 12:16am. "So, Elliot, how is your family?" she asks, while sitting back up and placing her phone on the table. He opens his mouth to answer, but she adds, "Right, I still haven't answered your question." She goes silent and contemplates for a moment. "Yes, Elliot. I understand why you left and why you never told me goodbye. I wish it never had to happen though. But you were right, there would have been no way in hell I would've let you leave."

"Thanks for hearing me out, Liv," Elliot responds.

"So, how is your family?" Olivia asks him again.

"Well," Elliot sighs as he sets his left hand on her right. She looks down to see there is no ring. She noticed it earlier, right away actually, but was too discombobulated to say anything about it.

She looks back up at him. "El, I'm so sorry."

Both his hands fly up into the air in a _stop_ motion. "No, it's okay. There was nothing I could do. It just wasn't working anymore. I couldn't fix it. Only thing that sucks is not seeing Eli as often especially since he's growing up so fast."

"How old is he now?" Olivia asks.

"Six already."

"I can't believe it. Can I see him? When do you get him next?" Olivia asks with the most excitement she's had all night.

"This weekend. Are you sure you want to let me back into your life, just like that?" he asks, sounding guilty.

"El," she sighs, standing and going to the kitchen. She opens the fridge and grabs two beers. "Beer?" she offers.

He turns around saying, "Sure." She tosses the bottle to him, and he catches it in one hand with no problem. "Thanks," he says as she returns to the couch and takes her seat next to him.

"Look, El. Sure, I was mad at you. Pretty damn pissed actually. But you're here now, and you've explained everything, so I understand. And now that you're back, I'm not letting you go again." She takes a drink of the beer and sets it on the coffee table in front of her. When he repeats her actions, she nonchalantly scoots a few inches closer to him.

"Well, I'm not planning on leaving again," he responds, slowly leaning in closer to her.

She lowers her voice, "Good, you know I wouldn't let you." She instinctively leans in closer to him.

"I know you wouldn't," he whispers. Their faces are now only a few inches apart. She sighs, her lips almost touching his.

The two jolt back from each other as Olivia's cell phone rings.

"Benson," she snaps.

Elliot watches as she stands and rushes to her bedroom. "Follow me!" she shouts to him.

"Hold this," she demands, tossing the phone to him which is now on speaker. He's in shock but still manages to catch the phone. Olivia is changing out of her t-shirt and boxer shorts. He's seen her change in front of him in the locker room many times before, but this is different. He's standing in her bedroom after they almost kissed. _They almost kissed._

"_-at the intersection of Madison and 112th street," _the man on the other side of the phone says.

"Got it. On my way," Olivia calls to the phone. She slips her jacket on, then snatches her phone out of Elliot's hand.

"_Thank you, Sergeant."_

"Sergeant?" Elliot asks.

"El, go start your car. You're driving." He obeys and leaves her apartment as she's grabbing her gun and wallet.

Olivia meets Elliot in his car and slams the passenger door shut. She bites onto a hair tie and pulls her hair back. She looks at him with wide eyes as to why he isn't driving, but he's gawking at her. "What?" she snaps, the band between her teeth.

"Sergeant?" he asks again.

She rolls her eyes and takes the hair tie out of her mouth and wraps her hair with it. "Yes, El! Sergeant! Now go!" she commands with a stern voice. He puts his arms up, surrendering, then accelerates the car forward.

**I love all the support you're giving me for my first fanfic! Thank you! xx**


	5. Chapter 5: Wherever You Will Go

**Author's Note: A little descriptive with the crime scene, but nothing worse than the actual show and not worth changing the rating to M. Younger readers not recommended, but it is not my decision to make. Anyway, hope you like it! Thanks for the reviews!**

CHAPTER FIVE Wherever You Will Go

"Like old times, hey, Benson?" Elliot smiles as he drives them to the crime scene. "Except that you're Sergeant Benson now. Congrats."

"Yeah, and except that you're staying in the car," she smirks.

He laughs, but she doesn't reciprocate, just raises her eyebrows.

He turns and sees her expression. "Wait, you're serious?" he asks, the smile falls from his face.

"Of course, I'm serious, Elliot," she rolls her eyes, "this isn't your case, let alone your job anymore."

Elliot turns to look at her with puppy-dog eyes and pouts. "Please, Liv," he whimpers.

"Not gonna happen, Stabler," she says with a strict tone and licks her lips to hide her smile. He sticks his bottom lip out, and she responds by nudging him in the arm with her elbow. "Now stop acting like a five-year-old," she chuckles.

He laughs and refocuses on the road, "Do you have any idea how difficult this is going to be for me?"

"Oh, believe me. I have an idea." A smile widens across her face. It is almost like old times. Almost. She can't even comprehend how overjoyed she is to be with Elliot again. She never expected to see him again, but here he is. But it frightens her that she's going to wake up tomorrow and none of this ever happened.

The flashing red and blue lights in the distance grow brighter as they drive closer to the scene. "Pull up over there," Olivia says, pointing. He stops the car at the side of the road. "Now stay in the car," she commands Elliot. He has to fight the urge to join Olivia. It doesn't seem right arriving to a crime scene with her and having to wait in the car. But being with her is what matters at this point. He can't complain. Although he's going to miss out on investigating this case, Olivia is back in his life. That's all that matters to him right now.

"I will, I will," he sighs. "I'll go get us some coffee, okay? I'll be back."

"You better be," she demands, not wanting to risk losing him again.

"You think I'd abandon you after what happened tonight, Liv? Hell no."

She smiles. "What happened tonight?" she asks innocently.

"Go on," Elliot shoos, "go do your job without me, Sergeant." Before Olivia slams the door, she hears him call her name, so she ducks back into the car. "Be safe," he orders.

"Always," she smiles and closes the door. Elliot eyes the scene and watches her arrive safely at Fin's side. Fin's the only other person he recognizes at the scene. Melinda is kneeling down by the victim, out of Elliot's sight. After examining the scene, he drives away to find the nearest open coffee shop.

"Fin!" Olivia calls as she meets up with him. "Where's Amaro and Rollins?" she asks him after looking around and not seeing them anywhere.

"Already on a high-speed chase, I'm sure," he answers. Olivia raises her eyebrows, waiting for him to continue. Fin points across the street to apartment buildings. "Amaro noticed a man coming out of the doors not long after he and Rollins arrived. He was going to question him. But once the man got under the streetlamp, he could see the blood on his shirt. The guy took off seeing Amaro coming towards him. I got here as Amaro and Rollins were hurrying to get in Nick's car to chase after him, and they quickly explained to me what happened."

"Alright," she sighs with a nod, "so what do we have here, Doctor?" She puts on silicone gloves while crouching down next to Melinda who's still examining the body of a blonde girl.

"I'd say she's about fifteen or sixteen. Been dead only a few hours. As you can see, she took many beatings, so I can't say how she was killed yet. Could be from this blow she took to her forehead." Dry blood is crusted in her hair, and in streams down her face. Both cheekbones are darkened with bruises and her lips, swollen. "Or she could have been strangled to death. See the bruises of fingerprints around her neck?" she traces the victim's neck, showing Olivia the marks. "She also has a fractured rib cage. Hard to believe only one person did this, but it's certainly possible."

"From the looks of it, it was a gang that attacked her, but we don't know yet. We should find out more when we hear from Amaro and Rollins," Fin adds.

"And she was raped?" Olivia asks as the two stand up straight.

"There's bruises on her inner thighs, but no traces of semen. But I'll be able to examine her closer once I get her back to the lab," Melinda tells Olivia.

"That's the issue with assuming it was a gang. I don't think they'd care to use condoms," Fin says.

"I'll contact you when I find out more," Melinda tells them.

"Thank you," Olivia says to the doctor, then turns back to Fin, "have any missing person reports been filed tonight?"

"Haven't heard anything yet. I should call Amaro."

"I'm sure if there's anything to report, he or Rollins will call one of us."

"Right. Let's head back to the precinct. Who did you ride with?" he asks, motioning to Elliot's car.

"Um," Olivia doesn't know if she should tell Fin yet or not. "A friend brought me," she answers. She starts to head back to Elliot whose car is waiting in the same place. She sees him point towards Fin and motion for him to come with her. "Fin?" she calls to him, and he turns around. "I guess my friend wants to talk to you." She arrives at the car. "Hey," she says as she opens the car door, "good job being patient. I didn't think you could handle it."

"Very funny, Benson," he answers sarcastically and hands her two coffees. "One for Fin. You and him are the only ones left? Munch is gone too?"

"And Cragen," she says sadly. She straightens up once Fin is by her side and hands him the coffee. Fin peers into the car.

"No frickin way!" he exclaims, "Stabler!"


	6. Chapter 6: Whenever You Remember

**Hey there lovlies! So sorry it took this long for an update. I just got back from vacation last night. And hang in there, I'm going camping this Sunday-Saturday. But I'll do my best to have the 7th (and if I'm on a roll, the 8th) by Sunday!**

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CHAPTER SIX- Whenever You Remember

"How you doing, Fin," Elliot greets with a nod, not knowing what to say. He knows Fin saw firsthand the pain Olivia suffered from when he left without a word. He expects another blowout from him. After himself and Cragen, Fin is Olivia's next best supporter. He doesn't let any bastard mess with her, and that could include Elliot himself.

"Well, I'll be damned." Fin shakes his head. "You finally show your face." He takes a sip of his coffee, waiting for Elliot's explanation. But Elliot, again, is without words.

Olivia clears her throat to break the awkwardness between the two. "Well," she begins, "we need to get back to the precinct. You two can finish," she gestures to both the guys, "whatever this is, later. We've got a murder on our hands." She points in the distance. "Fin, go," she orders, "Elliot, c'mon." She takes her seat in the car as he rolls down the window on the passenger side, figuring Fin has more words for him.

"Thanks for the coffee, Stabler. I expect an explanation from you," he demands, narrowing his eyes.

Elliot and Olivia nod in sync to which Fin shakes his head in disbelief again. The two ex-partners still have a special connection even after all this time. Fin's brain is left puzzled as he scurries to his car. And he realizes nothing could ever break the bond Elliot and Olivia share together, not even three years of absolutely no communication.

For the first few minutes of the car ride, Elliot and Olivia stay silent, with Olivia trying to figure out how to go about the case and Elliot trying to figure out how to go about the whole situation.

Elliot is the one to interrupt the silence and Olivia's contemplation. "So, what happened?" he asks.

She blinks away her thoughts and glances at Elliot with a smirk on her face. "You're a dumb-ass if you think I'm going to share my case with you, you know that right?"

He doesn't flinch at her insult. "I'm never going to gain your trust back if you don't give me the chance, you know that right?"

Olivia purses her lips and keeps her eyes straight ahead. "I'm not the one who walked away from you, you know that right?"

Great, only two hours have passed, and they're already throwing stuff in each other's faces.

Elliot knows at this point it's best to keep his mouth shut for the rest of the ride. Of course, Olivia is still hurt. What did he expect, just show up out of the blue, and everything is fine? Dream on.

The car slows to a stop as they arrive to their destination. Elliot opens his mouth to say something, but Olivia beats him to it. "If you want to gain my trust, then be back here at 11, no later, with my favorite food. We'll start with that. Now, go home, Elliot." She opens the door, but Elliot speaks before she has time to abandon ship.

"I am home, Liv," he whispers.

"No, you're in a car outside the precinct," she states as she climbs out of the car.

"Then what did you mean when you told me to come home?" he asks, furrowing his brow.

"I don't know, El," she sighs as she pokes her head back into the car. "Certainly not showing up at my door at midnight, that's for damn sure." _Yep, she's still mad._

"Olivia, please," he says with a strained voice as he reaches for her hand resting on the seat. She jerks away at the last second.

"11:00, El. Go get some sleep," she orders and slams the door.

"Yes, Sergeant Benson," he mutters and mockingly salutes her after she disappears. He turns the key in the ignition and looks at the time that lights up. It _is _after two in the morning, and he _does _need to get some sleep, but he knows that's definitely _not _going to happen. Olivia needs her sleep too, though. He interrupted that earlier tonight, and now she has this seemingly stressful case. He doesn't know how the woman survives with such lack of sleep. Actually, he does. He did it for fifteen years. But that was three years ago when he stayed up to all hours investigating all those vicious sex crimes. He needed a break, but that break turned permanent. After watching Olivia walk through the doors by herself, he realizes how much he really misses his job. He wants to be Detective Stabler again, to be partners with Olivia, to flash his badge saying _"Detective Stabler, this is my partner Detective Benson". _He smacks the steering wheel with both hands while cursing himself. One mistake ruined his life. He glances back at the doors Olivia walked through, alone, a few minutes earlier. He cuts the engine and puts his keys into his coat pocket, then steps out of the car and walks with large strides and pauses before the doors. He reaches his hand out and drops it to his side, clenching his fists. Grinding his teeth together, he turns around and goes back to his car. He promised Liv, and he decides he shouldn't push his luck and make her angrier with him. He glances back at the doors once more. _Let it go. _At least he has Olivia back_. _He presses his foot to the gas pedal.

* * *

Olivia answers her phone without hesitation when she sees Amanda Rollins is calling her. "Rollins, what do you got?"

"We're on our way back to the precinct. Maybe you can get this guy to talk," Amanda responds.

"Do you have a name?" Olivia asks.

"Like I said, maybe you can get him to talk."

"She better," Nick mumbles under his breath to which Olivia didn't hear across the line.

"Hurry back," Olivia says and clicks _end._

"Liv!" Fin calls. "We've got our Jane Doe." He tosses a picture of the dead victim and a file onto the desk in front of them. Olivia studies the picture and reads the file, while raising her eyebrow.

"Jaclyn Munger. Older than we all thought. She's 19? What's she in the system for?" Olivia asks.

"She went to trial a couple years ago for rape. The guy was found not guilty and free of the charges she pressed against him."

"And he is?"

He drops more files onto the desk. "Zachary Gilbert. And you won't believe this, he lives in that same apartment complex Amaro and Rollins saw the guy with the blood-stained clothes come out of earlier tonight."

Olivia shakes her head and checks her watch while she stifles a yawn. Somehow it's already going on 4am. "And they should be back here anytime now, so you and I will have a little chat with him."

* * *

The time for Elliot, however, has been passing by slower than molasses in February, or was it January? Whatever, stupid metaphors. He did what Olivia said, or at least tried to. He obeyed her by going back to his apartment, in which he refuses to call home, but he didn't sleep. He couldn't. But he tried. He lay in bed for over a couple hours, forcing his eyes closed, yet his mind wouldn't allow him to drift into unconsciousness. Not after everything that happened tonight. Not after he had Olivia back in his life and was unfortunately forced to part from her side, to his dismay.

Once the clock says 5:00am, he figures it is useless to continue trying to sleep. It isn't going to happen.

He drowsily gets out of bed and puts his clothes back on, then goes to the kitchen to brew more coffee for himself. He turns on the television to the News, simply for background noise because he knows he won't be able to focus on a TV screen.

All he has left to do is wait for 11:00, _no later,_ to roll around. But God knows how restless Elliot is going to be.

* * *

"Let's start off with an easy question," Olivia says to the unknown man in the interrogation room, the man who clearly wasn't Zachary Gilbert , "what is your name?"

The man's knees are bouncing, shaking his entire body. His hands, red from blood, are sweaty and won't stop fidgeting. He doesn't answer.

"How the hell is it so difficult for you to tell us your name?" Fin interjects.

"It's Martin." So he _can _speak!

"That's more than we got out of him," Nick mutters to Amanda as they watch from outside the interrogation room.

"Martin what?" Fin presses.

"Martin Burke," he stammers.

"Alright, Martin," Olivia begins. "Now, how about you tell us why you're covered in blood?"

"I want a lawyer," is the last thing he says.

Olivia nods and leads Fin out of the room.

"Told you the son-of-a-bitch won't talk," Nick scoffs when Olivia and Fin join him and Amanda.

"Don't worry, we'll get it out of him. Get me more information on him," Olivia tells the three detectives.

* * *

Olivia's stomach grumbles, begging her for food. She checks her watch. 10:53. "We'll see if he follows through," she mutters to herself.

"What's that, Liv?" Fin asks, hearing her say something as he passes by her.

"What? Oh, nothing. Talking to myself," she answers, sheepishly. "I was just-" She pauses when she hears a door shut and breaks eye contact with Fin to see Elliot enter the room.

"Stabler," Fin states, a confused tone and expression.

Olivia and Elliot ignore him as well as all the action in the rest of the room as they smile at each other.  
To Olivia, nothing else matters. Not the pain or the anger she had towards Elliot or the case or Fin's protectiveness. Only Elliot matters, but he doesn't know that.  
To Elliot, nothing else matters. Not the time or being back in SVU or that Olivia is angry or that Fin is ready to kick his ass. Only Olivia matters, but she doesn't know that.

Her smile grows wider when she sees the Chinese takeout he's holding.

"You remembered."

"I never forgot."


	7. Chapter 7: Who Knew

**A/N Sorry for taking so long to update. Having a writer's block and being beyond busy is no good when you have wonderful people waiting for another chapter. Thanks for your patience!**

* * *

CHAPTER SEVEN Who Knew

"Step into my office," Olivia tells Elliot as she leads him through the door.

"Your office, huh," says Elliot. He glances around his ex-captain's office. "I love what you've done with the place," he mocks, for everything looks almost exactly the same. Olivia rolls her eyes at him then smirks. "Feels weird being in here without Cragen calling us in," he states.

"Tell me about it," Olivia sighs, sitting down and opening the boxes of Chinese food. "Sit down and eat." She motions to a chair on the other side of the desk. "I don't have a lot of time. I shouldn't even be taking a break." She scatters some papers so Elliot has some elbow room. He does as she says.

Olivia picks up the picture of the other suspect, Zachary Gilbert and studies it while taking a bite. She furrows her brows.

"What is it, Liv?" Elliot asks.

"He looks familiar," she says and turns the paper around for Elliot to see. "There was a rape case with him a couple years ago, and he was not guilty, but he still looks familiar from something else."

"I couldn't tell you," Elliot shrugs.

"I'll be back," she says and rushes around her desk. Elliot grasps her wrist.

"You need to eat," he demands.

She pulls away. "No, I need to figure this out. I'll be back."

"If you're going to question your suspect, ask if he wants something to drink," Elliot smirks.

"I know how to do my job, Stabler," she scolds. She remembers his tactic of getting the suspect's DNA and stifles a smile at the memory. So many suspects fell for it. She leaves the office, but Elliot is hot on her heals. She whips around. "Elliot," she warns, "just wait in the office."

"Liv, I-"

"You better do as she says," Fin interjects.

Elliot throws his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. I'll be in the office."

"Thank you," Olivia replies with a sarcastic tone. Fin stares him down until the door is closed and Elliot is out of his sight.

"Everything okay, baby-girl?" Fin asks Olivia.

She nods, "Everything's fine." She shows Fin the picture of Zachary Gilbert. "Does he look familiar to you? Aside from the case a couple years ago."

Fin studies the picture, long and hard. "Yeah, a little bit."

"What is it? Amanda asks, joining them.

"One of our suspects, Zachary Gilbert. We're trying to figure out why he looks familiar," Olivia tells her.

Amanda takes the picture from her. "Yeah," she agrees, "he does look familiar." She hands it back to Olivia.

"Sergeant Olivia Benson?" a man calls. The three turn their focus towards him.

"That's me." She reaches out her hand.

"James Browne. I'm Mr. Burke's lawyer." He shakes Olivia's hand.

"Perfect timing. Detective Odafin Tutuola and Detective Amanda Rollins," she introduces.

* * *

"Sergeant, Detective, if I could have a moment to converse with my client," Browne says to Olivia and Fin.

They both nod and leave the interrogation room.

"You don't say anything to them," he commands Martin.

* * *

"Liv?" Elliot asks, turning around to see that it wasn't Olivia coming back into her office.

"Fin," he answers, then sits next to Elliot.

The two sit in silence for a moment.

Elliot sighs, "Fin, I know I hurt Olivia a lot..."

Fin huffs, refusing to look at him. "You didn't see it."

"Dammit. How... how bad was it?" he dares to ask.

"I have never seen Liv so broken, Elliot," he admits, finally turning to look at her. "She was always so distracted with everything. Her insomnia was much worse than usual. She broke down at work sometimes... She was lost without you, man. And it broke her heart that you didn't tell her goodbye or give her a reason."

"I know it did. I just, I just couldn't bear to see the look on her face when I told her I was leaving. And I know she wouldn't have let me go."

"No, she wouldn't have," Fin agrees.

"I'm trying to make things right," Elliot tells him.

"With Chinese food?" he asks, an irritated tone in his voice.

"She asked me to bring her favorite food," he answers.

"Well, you better stick around. I will not let her go through that again," Fin says as he stands up. "And if you hurt her again, I swear I will hunt you down, Stabler."

"I'm not planning on leaving her ever again, Fin. I think I... I love-"

Olivia opens the door. "Fin, let's go. El, I'm sorry."

He shrugs. "You have to do your job."

* * *

"Well, if he's not going to speak, how about you tell us why your client is covered in blood?" Olivia demands. She stares intently at Martin's face. She looks over at Fin, but he didn't understand her look like Elliot would have. She gives up trying to communicate with facial expressions and leaves the room.

"Olivia? What are you doing?" Amanda asks.

"I think I figured it out," she says, grabbing the picture of Zachary Gilbert. She goes back to the interrogation room, but instead of going in, stands outside and compares Martin Burke with the picture. "He has blonde hair instead of brown. Blue eyes instead of brown. And his nose looks different."

"What are you thinking?" Nick asks, seeing and listening to her compare the two. "You think they're related?"

"No, not related. I think Martin," she points to the guilty-looking suspect who won't answer Fin's questions, "_is Zachary_," she lightly shakes the paper.

"What?" Nick and Amanda answer in unison.

Olivia walks back into the interrogation room. "Martin, can I get you some water?" she asks.

"Um... sure," he answers quietly.

"No!" Browne interjects.

"I'm thirsty," Martin says.

"I said no," Browne insists.

"You think I'm going to poison it?" Olivia smirks. She opens the door. "Amaro, fetch Martin some water please," she calls.

Nick retrieves a cup of water and hands it to Olivia to which she gives to Martin. Thank you, Elliot, for the reminder.

Martin takes a sip, and Olivia internally rejoices.

"Martin, do you know this man?" she asks, placing the picture down on the table and sliding it over to him.

His eyes bulge out, and he taps his fingers on the table. "Uh, that's Zachary, I think."

"I told you not to say anything," Browne mumbles.

"Okay, and how do you know Zachary?" she asks, leaning in closer, seeing how she's making him nervous.

"He, um, lived in my, uh, my apartment before me," he looks up at her, then back down and takes another gulp of water.

"Where do you get your contacts, Martin?"

"Why does that matter?" Browne snaps.

"No reason. You done with that?" Olivia gestures to the empty cup.

Martin barely nods.

Olivia picks it up and leaves the room, Fin following. "Amaro, Rollins, get a DNA test on this," she orders.

"What was that thing about his contacts?" Fin asks.

"You'll see," Olivia responds with a smirk, fully believing in her own theory.

* * *

**Sorry for the lack of E/O in this chapter. Once the case is solved, Elliot and Olivia will have much more time together. :)**


	8. Chapter 8: Wait For You

CHAPTER EIGHT Wait For You

"El, I'm so sorry, but I'm really busy with this case. There's no point in staying here and waiting for me," Olivia tells him. She was surprised when she walked in and saw that he was still sitting in her office.

Elliot is disappointed, but he understands after doing this job for as many years as he did. It never mattered how late he had to work then because he was always working at Olivia's side. Now he... well, he somewhat understands how Kathy felt.

"It's alright, Liv. Call me when you're available." She breathes a sigh of relief that he isn't angry. He gathers his trash and leaves her uneaten, now-cold food. "I'll just leave this here for you if you get a chance to eat. You need to eat, Olivia," he orders.

Olivia notices the protectiveness in his voice. She knows he's serious when he uses _Olivia _instead of _Liv. _"I will," she tells him, although she probably won't.

His blue eyes transform into ice. "Don't you dare lie to me, Olivia."

"Um." _Where's all this coming from? God, did he just make her _speechless? "I'll eat, El. I promise."

His face softens and he smiles at her. "Good. I'll see you later then."

"Later," she nods in agreement.

He takes a few steps closer to her, and her breathing increases. _Why so nervous?_

It's just Elliot.

No, not _just _Elliot.

God, it's _Elliot. _

"Liv," he whispers in her ear.

"What?" she breathes.

He tilts her chin up with his fingertips and peers into her eyes. Her heart speeds up, fluttering faster than a hummingbird's wings. _He's going to kiss her. _He leans in closer and whispers,"You're blocking the doorway." _Damn him._

Her eyes widen. "Sorry," she mutters, stumbling backwards to get out of his way.

Olivia is stuck in a trance as her eyes follow Elliot out the door. She thought he was going to kiss her. Why would he kiss her? Does _she_ want to kiss him? Why would she want to kiss him? God, why _wouldn't _she want to kiss him? ..._To feel his lips against hers, as the tips of his fingers lightly stroke her cheek, trailing to the back of her head, holding her to him._

"Liv?" Fin calls, seeing her staring off into space. _As she wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss, feeling his warmth against her, and-_ "Hey, Benson!" he shouts louder.

And finally, she snaps out of it. She traces her lips with her fingertips, remembering the kiss that ceases to exist.

* * *

Olivia types "Zachary Gilbert" into the search bar. She scrolls down until she sees a specific site that captures her attention.

"Jackpot," she whispers and clicks on "KK Cosmetic Surgey & Spa".

The page is filled with before and after plastic surgery pictures. The cursor lands on #6.

Zachary Gilbert.

The first picture is a man with brown hair, brown eyes, and a hooked nose. The second is of a man with dyed blonde hair, brown eyes, and a straight and larger nose. She prints out both images.

"Fin!" Olivia calls. "You have to see this." She hands him the before and after photos.

"Zachary Gilbert is _Martin Burke_?" he spits out. _  
_

"That's why Zachary looks familiar. All that's missing is his blue contacts," Olivia crosses her arms with a triumphant look on her face.

"But we still don't know if he did it," Fin adds.

"There's blood on his shirt. Of course he did it. We just need some evidence with his DNA on it. Fluids, a murder weapon with his prints, something! He still won't give up his shirt so you can see if the blood belongs to Jaclyn Munger?" she asks.

"No." He shakes his head. "And that Browne guy is no help either."

Olivia sighs. "Figure something out. I'm going to call Melinda."

Fin nods just as his phone rings. "No need," he says before he answers it.

Olivia waits impatiently for him to hang up the phone. She taps her foot, looks at the time, remembers she needs to eat to make Elliot happy by eating... _Elliot...Elliot kissing her..._

Damn, she's like a hormonal teenager with a crush on the popular guy at school.

"Okay, thanks." He hangs up his cell phone. "Zachary is our guy. She found a small trace of semen. It's a match," he tells Olivia.

"It was one guy that did all that damage to Jaclyn. Sick," she says with disgust as Nick and Amanda join them back in the precinct.

"Martin? BS," Nick huffs. "He's Zachary Gilbert." He hands Olivia the DNA results. She nods approvingly. "You already figured that out, didn't you?"

"Just a few minutes ago," Fin replies. "Look at this." He shows Nick and Amanda the plastic surgery pictures.

"You're a criminal, and you let them use your face on their website? Dumbass," Amanda says.

Olivia nearly laughs, but holds it back with a smirk.

"Time to do the honors," Fin says before he leads Olivia back into the interrogation room with Zachary in it.

* * *

Olivia falls onto her couch as soon as she gets home. She's absolutely exhausted and in need of sleep, but her stomach won't let her.

So, maybe, she didn't do as Elliot ordered.

She groans and lifts herself off the couch to go peer into her nearly empty fridge. She sighs at the sight of practically no food in front of her and shuts the door.

_Call me when you're available._

She obeys this command.

_"Hey, Liv."_

"Hey. Have you eaten?"

_"You asking me out, Benson?"_

She blushes, thankful he can't see that over the phone. _Maybe... _"Dream on, Stabler."

_"I'll be there soon."_

"How soon is soon? I need time to get ready."

_"C'mon, how much time do you need?"_

"Enough time to make myself look somewhat decent," she mutters.

_"Decent?"_

"Decent."

_"You don't give yourself enough credit, Liv."_

"What do you mean?"

_"I mean you're always beautiful. I'll be there in twenty minutes."_

"Okay," she whispers and clicks _end_.

Did she hear that correctly? Elliot Stabler called her beautiful?

* * *

Twenty minutes barely gives Olivia enough time to pick out her outfit and change, let alone give her time to do her hair and make-up. But twenty minutes later, her doorbell rings, and she manages to be ready.

She opens the door and greets Elliot, who's dressed in a white button-down shirt and dark blue jeans.

"Too much?" she asks of her black knee-length dress and black heels.

"Like I said, beautiful," he answers with a smile permanently plastered on his face at the sight of Olivia in front of him. "I like your hair at this length," he compliments.

"Thanks," she says shyly, watching his hand from the corner of her eye as it strokes the length of her hair. She holds her breath as his hand reaches her shoulder, then slowly trails down her bare arm, causing chills to shoot through her body.

Seeing her light shiver, Elliot asks, "Do you need a jacket?"

"No, it's warm for September tonight," she answers.

"That it is," he agrees. "Shall we?" He offers his arm out to her. She closes the door behind her and grasps his arm with a smile.

"I didn't know you were a gentleman, Stabler," Olivia teases as they walk down the sidewalk to his car.

"Just wait, I'm going to hold doors open for you too. I'll even go the extra mile and open the car door for you when we arrive to the restaurant," he responds with a smirk.

"Careful, you don't want to overwork yourself," she jokes.

"Only for you," he answers with a grin and holds open the passenger door of his car for her.

* * *

**Up next: Their "date?" **


	9. Chapter 9: Say What You Need to Say

CHAPTER NINE Say What You Need to Say

Upon arriving to the restaurant, Olivia's stomach groans, the noise traveling above the engine and the soft music playing, causing Elliot to stop mid-sentence. _Shit,_ Olivia thinks. Of course, he's going to ask if she ate earlier. And of course, the answer is no.

Elliot puts the car in park and cuts the engine once he is in a parking spot. He sighs, "Olivia." She looks up at him, meekly. His face softens when she meets his eyes. "You didn't eat." It wasn't a question or an accusation. Just a simple statement. Olivia opens her mouth to respond, but doesn't say anything, only shakes her head and looks away. She hears him let out a huge breath, as if he's trying to stay calm. His temper never bothered her because it's who he is. But she didn't want any fighting before their, um, date?

"I'm not angry, if that's what you're wondering. Just disappointed," he tells her. His voice is relaxed, almost soothing. Too relaxed for Olivia's comfort. She's too used to him getting pissed off at the littlest things that this opposite reaction shocks her.

"Disappointed? Why aren't you-"

"Mad? I'm trying to work on my temper, Liv. I no longer have reasons to be angry all the time. I don't have to live with Kathy bitching at me all the time. I don't have to deal with those horrible cases and perps anymore, though sometimes I really miss it. And," he reaches an arm over and grasps one of Olivia's hands resting in her lap, "I have you back in my life. I can't be angry about that." He gives her a warm smile, to which she returns, then squeezes her hand. "C'mon, let's have a good time." He releases her hand and gets out of the car. Her hand is left numb, craving his touch. Her door opens to Elliot's pull, and his hand is in front of her, waiting. She smiles and takes a hold of it, allowing him to help her out. With a tug of her arm, she's nearly pressed against his chest. Her brain tells her to back up, but she doesn't listen. Probably because her hand is no longer the only thing numb. Elliot shuts the car door with his other hand, and the noise shocks Olivia, making her aware of her own body again, so she begins to back up, but Elliot's hand is now at the small of her back to keep her in place.

"Liv," he whispers.

"Yes," she barely manages. Heat rushes to her cheeks, her heart races, and her breathing is unstable.

Little does she know, Elliot is feeling the same way. He's lost his train of thought, forgetting what he was going to say. So he says the first thing to come to his mind. "Have I told you that you're beautiful?"

"You've mentioned it once or twice tonight."

"Well, I'll mention it again. You're beautiful, Olivia Benson."

She looks away, mumbling a thank-you. The hand holding hers lets go and finds her chin.

"Why don't you believe me when I compliment you?" The serious tone is back.

"I- I don't know, El. I just don't." She sighs, feeling defeat. Her eyes leave his again and look to the side.

"Look at me, Liv." It's not demanding, it's pleading. Slowly, her browns find his blues. "I don't know why you don't believe me when I tell you that you're beautiful, but I promise I will convince you no matter what it takes." The hands on her back and chin fall, but one finds her hand and links fingers with hers. "I know you're starving, so let's eat."

* * *

"How many?" the hostess asks.

"A table for two," Elliot responds and glances around, then adds, "preferably away from all the noise.

She nods, grabbing two menus and leads them away from the busy bar and into a more secluded room with a fireplace and dim lights. She places the menus at the table next to the fireplace. "Does this work for you two?"

"Good?" Elliot asks Olivia.

She nods. "Perfect."

"Great. Your waiter, Daniel, will be out in just a moment. Enjoy," she smiles, her eyes lingering on Elliot for longer than Olivia's liking. Her jealous eyes follow the hostess out of the room while Elliot prepares her seat for her.

"Wow, you weren't kidding when you said you were going to be a gentleman tonight," Olivia chuckles, sitting down.

"Please, Liv. We both know I'm not funny, so why would I be kidding?" he asks with a straight-face.

"You, Stabler, are something else," she muses to which he cracks a smile.

Daniel appears to take their drink orders as the two are looking over the food menu. Olivia would probably think he's attractive if Elliot wasn't sitting across from her, captivating her attention.

"So," Elliot begins once Daniel has left to retrieve their drinks, "I have to pick up Eli from Kathy's tomorrow morning and-"

Olivia cuts him off. "And was wondering if you'd like to come along? I hope that's what you were planning to say."

"That was my intention," he smiles. "So?"

"Well, you don't have to ask me twice. I'm taking the weekend off anyway." Elliot notices her giddiness to spend the day with him and his son, and that makes him truly happy.

"Excellent. I figured you'd like to."

"El, I would love to."

* * *

"More wine for the lady?" Daniel asks.

"Please," Olivia answers, smiling at Elliot.

"You trying to get drunk?" Elliot asks Olivia.

"Just having a good time, El."

"Well, okay, but this is your third glass, and we haven't even gotten our food yet," he chuckles.

"Then it's a good thing you're driving, isn't it?" she smirks.

"I suppose so," he responds.

"So, El, where do you work now?" Olivia asks, taking a sip of her wine.

Elliot's cheeks flush. "You'll laugh."

Olivia smiles. "Will I? Are you a male stripper now?" she teases, flashing her glimmering teeth.

He chuckles and rolls his eyes. "Please, if that were the case, I'd be rich."

Olivia raises an eyebrow and smirks, "You know, I think if you were going to be a stripper...First, you would need to take some of that cockiness out of your personality and-"

"Are you really going to go there, Olivia?" he asks as he leans forward, his eyes darkening.

She follows suit, "Maybe I am."

He stares at her for a few seconds, seeing the smoldering look in her eyes, in which keep growing darker. He's the first to begin leaning back, in attempt to change the mood, although, if being honest with himself, he was enjoying how the conversation was going.

"Are you going to tell me or not?" Olivia asks, startling Elliot with the seductive tone in her voice.

"Well, Liv," he begins, pausing to take a drink of his beer. "I'm a bartender."

Olivia is silent for a moment, letting the information sink in. A bartender? She can't picture Elliot as anything other than a cop. He notices the confusion on her face.

"What are you thinking?" he asks.

"That I can't see you as being anything other than a cop," she answers, then adds with a smaller voice, "or my partner... A bartender? You must get plenty of women willing to tip you extra," she smirks.

He grins at her, enjoying her flirtatiousness. "You know, Liv. I really haven't done a lot of dating," he admits, with a shrug.

"Haven't you? I'll admit, I'm surprised, Stabler."

"It's okay because I have a feeling this is a first of many to make up for it."

Again, her infamous eyebrow raises. "So, you call this a date?"

"Well, didn't you ask me out?" he questions.

"I don't know, did I?" she smirks.

"I think you did," he shrugs.

"You think a lot of things," she adds.

"But I'm usually right," he points out.

She laughs, "You're such an ass."

"Mhmm, but you like it, Liv."

"I do?" She tries to sound like she's simply playing along, but the redness in her cheeks give away her bluff.

"I may not be a detective anymore, but I can take the hint," his voice is low, lower than usual.

"Then why couldn't you take all the goddamn hints in those twelve years?" she asks, her voice louder than she intended. Her teeth chomp down on her bottom lip as soon as it's out her mouth. She stares down at the table in embarrassment, cursing herself internally.

As Elliot opens his mouth to respond, their waiter is at the table, delivering their food and offering Elliot another drink. When Daniel walks away to retrieve another beer, Olivia shovels pasta into her mouth nervously, refusing to make eye contact with Elliot. He doesn't begin eating yet, instead watching her with curious eyes.

"Liv?"

She slowly lowers her fork back to her plate and looks up at him. "Yes?"

"Are you saying-"

"I don't know what I'm saying, Elliot."

"Liv, whatever you have to say, just say it," he encourages, reaching his hand across the table to give hers a reassuring squeeze. She returns the gesture and sighs.

"It's not that simple, El." Her eyes fall back to her plate.

"It's okay, Liv. I have something complicated to tell you as well."

"Then say it," she nearly begs.

"Look at me. Please."

She does as he requests, her chocolate brown eyes meet his glowing blue stare.

"Say it at the same time as me?" she offers.

He nods, agreeing. The two sigh in sync, not breaking eye contact. He squeezes her hand once more, she repeats, and they open their mouths to say what they need to say.

And finally, Elliot and Olivia both admit it, after all these years.


End file.
